7 Ways Your Newborn Can Benefit from Kangaroo Care on Day One

1. Body Temperature:

Newborns need help regulating their own temperature (since they aren't in that cozy womb anymore!), and mom or daddy's skin is the perfect heater for their tiny bodies.

2. Brain Development:

Baby brains need oxygen, sleep, and a stable heart rate to grow to their best potential. Skin-to-skin contact beats out the incubator in effectively stabilizing their core physiological processes.

3. Weight Gain:

Being cold is no fun, right? Chilly babies have to devote more energy to staying warm, instead of growing. Mom's body heat helps baby stay warm, and simultaneously allows for more frequent breastfeeding, which is always beneficial to growing newborns!

4. Milk Production & Breastfeeding:

When baby and mom are touching, it helps regulates hormones that facilitate breastfeeding. Plus, infants have a heightened sense of smell, allowing them to easily find the nipple if nestled close to mom.

5. Reduced Stress & Vulnerability to Pain:

What's the best cure for baby stress? Holding them on your chest! Just 10 minutes of skin time has shown to reduce cortisol levels and boost oxytocin, helping baby feel calm and safe.

6. Sleep:

Don't you love sleeping in? So does your baby! When they're less stressed, they will sleep longer and wake up less, compared to their incubated counterparts.

7. Postpartum Depression:

Kangaroo care isn't just for babies! After childbirth, mothers experience an imbalance between the glands in her adrenal axis, possibly leading to depression. Holding your newborn close can help regulate the misguided pathways. Cortisol levels are also lowered, making you feel happier.